The 2016 New Zealand Open was held for the second consecutive year at the National Chess Centre in Devonport, Auckland last month. Incorporating the 123rd New Zealand Championship, the Open attracted 66 entries and the Major Open for players rated under 2000, a further 52. Top seed was English former world championship challenger Nigel Short, one of six international grandmasters playing. The eventual winner was the second seed and Short's compatriot GM Gawain Jones, who finished unbeaten on 7½/9. Tied for second were Short and the two Chinese grandmasters, Ju Wenjun and Ma Qun on 7 points. The 123rd New Zealand Championship title went to FM Alexei Kulashko and FM Michael Steadman, both of Auckland who tied for 8th on 6 points, along with former Otago club member IM Thorben Koop of Germany. Today's game attracted the most attention, due to an article by GM Nigel Short where his opinion that women were intrinsically less suited to playing chess attracted some controversy. He is playing Black against female GM Ju Wenjun from the fourth round. 1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6
The so-called English Defence was used by leading English players of the 1970s to get to unusual opening positions. It is still considered offbeat. 3. e4 Bb7 4. Bd3 Bb4+ 5. Kf1!?
Giving up castling rights to later take advantage of the bishop's exposed position on b4. Short's reply takes the game into new territory. 5... c5!? 6. a3 Ba5 7. Nf3 Ne7 8.Bf4 Na6 9. d5!?
Grabbing central space, but this advance leaving holes on the central dark squares is what the English Defence opening is designed to provoke. 9... O-O 10. Bd6
Moves like 10.d6?! Ng6 would just play into Black's hands, with the advanced d-pawn becoming a weakness. 10... Re8 11. h4
The kingside rook must be developed. 11... Nc8 12. Bg3 exd5 13. exd5 Qf6 14. Qc2 h6 15. Nbd2 Nd6
More to the point was 15... Bxd2 getting rid of the bishop before 16 Nb3! exchanges it under less favourable circumstances, but White misses her chance. 16. h5 Bxd2 17. Nxd2 b5?!
Sharpening the game considerably, but Short has overlooked a tactical fine point. 17... Nc7 is roughly level. 18. cxb5 Nc7?
Black could minimise the damage by 18... Nb8, but has missed the strength of White's subtle reply which wins a piece. 19. Qc3! Qg5
Keeping the queens on, as 19... Qxc3 20.bxc3 Ncxb5 21.c4 wins one of the knights, as does 19... Ncxb5 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.a4 and 19... Qe7 20.Qxc5. The game now gets highly tactical. 20. Bxd6 Qxd5 21. Ne4 Nxb5 22. Qc4 Qxc4
No better is 22... Nxd6 23.Qxd5 Bxd5 24.Nxd6 retaining the extra piece. 23. Bxc4 Nxa3 24. Bxf7+?!
This counter-desperado sacrifice to get back a pawn leads to serious counter chances for Black. Best was 24.Nf6+! gxf6 25.Rxa3 when the ruined black kingside pawns will be vulnerable to the bishops. 24... Kxf7 25. Nxc5 Bxg2+?!
Black in turn missed his chance to get back into the game with 25... Nc2! 26.Rc1 Be4! 27.Rh4! (27.Nxe4? Rxe4 28.Rxc2 Rd4! wins back the bishop due to the threat of 29... Rd1+) 27... Bh7 28.Rf4+ Kg8 29.Rc4 Rac8 30.R1xc2 Bxc2 31.Rxc2 and only a small material advantage to White. 26. Kxg2 Nc4 27. Bg3 Nxb2 28. Nxd7 a5?
A final blunder loses more material. 29. Ne5+ Kg8 30. Rhb1 Resigns
The trapped knight will cost at least the exchange after say 30... Rab8 31.Nd3!
New Zealand Open attracts GMs
Problem: White to play and mate in 4.
The 2016 New Zealand Open was held for the second consecutive year at the National Chess Centre in Devonport, Auckland last month. Incorporating the 123rd New Zealand Championship, the Open attracted 66 entries and the Major Open for players rated under 2000, a further 52. Top seed was English former world championship challenger Nigel Short, one of six international grandmasters playing.
The eventual winner was the second seed and Short's compatriot GM Gawain Jones, who finished unbeaten on 7½/9. Tied for second were Short and the two Chinese grandmasters, Ju Wenjun and Ma Qun on 7 points. The 123rd New Zealand Championship title went to FM Alexei Kulashko and FM Michael Steadman, both of Auckland who tied for 8th on 6 points, along with former Otago club member IM Thorben Koop of Germany.
Today's game attracted the most attention, due to an article by GM Nigel Short where his opinion that women were intrinsically less suited to playing chess attracted some controversy. He is playing Black against female GM Ju Wenjun from the fourth round.
1. d4 e6
2. c4 b6
The so-called English Defence was used by leading English players of the 1970s to get to unusual opening positions. It is still considered offbeat.
3. e4 Bb7
4. Bd3 Bb4+
5. Kf1!?
Giving up castling rights to later take advantage of the bishop's exposed position on b4. Short's reply takes the game into new territory.
5... c5!?
6. a3 Ba5
7. Nf3 Ne7
8.Bf4 Na6
9. d5!?
Grabbing central space, but this advance leaving holes on the central dark squares is what the English Defence opening is designed to provoke.
9... O-O
10. Bd6
Moves like 10.d6?! Ng6 would just play into Black's hands, with the advanced d-pawn becoming a weakness.
10... Re8
11. h4
The kingside rook must be developed.
11... Nc8
12. Bg3 exd5
13. exd5 Qf6
14. Qc2 h6
15. Nbd2 Nd6
More to the point was 15... Bxd2 getting rid of the bishop before 16 Nb3! exchanges it under less favourable circumstances, but White misses her chance.
16. h5 Bxd2
17. Nxd2 b5?!
Sharpening the game considerably, but Short has overlooked a tactical fine point. 17... Nc7 is roughly level.
18. cxb5 Nc7?
Black could minimise the damage by 18... Nb8, but has missed the strength of White's subtle reply which wins a piece.
19. Qc3! Qg5
Keeping the queens on, as 19... Qxc3 20.bxc3 Ncxb5 21.c4 wins one of the knights, as does 19... Ncxb5 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.a4 and 19... Qe7 20.Qxc5. The game now gets highly tactical.
20. Bxd6 Qxd5
21. Ne4 Nxb5
22. Qc4 Qxc4
No better is 22... Nxd6 23.Qxd5 Bxd5 24.Nxd6 retaining the extra piece.
23. Bxc4 Nxa3
24. Bxf7+?!
This counter-desperado sacrifice to get back a pawn leads to serious counter chances for Black. Best was 24.Nf6+! gxf6 25.Rxa3 when the ruined black kingside pawns will be vulnerable to the bishops.
24... Kxf7
25. Nxc5 Bxg2+?!
Black in turn missed his chance to get back into the game with 25... Nc2! 26.Rc1 Be4! 27.Rh4! (27.Nxe4? Rxe4 28.Rxc2 Rd4! wins back the bishop due to the threat of 29... Rd1+) 27... Bh7 28.Rf4+ Kg8 29.Rc4 Rac8 30.R1xc2 Bxc2 31.Rxc2 and only a small material advantage to White.
26. Kxg2 Nc4
27. Bg3 Nxb2
28. Nxd7 a5?
A final blunder loses more material.
29. Ne5+ Kg8
30. Rhb1 Resigns
The trapped knight will cost at least the exchange after say 30... Rab8 31.Nd3!
1-0
Solution: 1.Qxf8+! Kxf8 2.Rf1+ Rf7 (2... Ke8 3.Rg8#) 3.Rxf7+ Ke8 4.Rg8#.